The Birth of a Revolution
by Marie Hawkins
Summary: AU in which the Saiyans are able to revolt successfully against Frieza. Hopefully will be in five parts, this is obviously part one. Please R&R!
1. Of Friends and Enemies

Bardock had always been one to love a fight, he couldn't deny this. It was in his blood. As of late, however, his fights were boring him. He and his crew hadn't been out on a mission in days, they were just training. His crew didn't train privately either. In fact, they were usually in groups with other Saiyans. He and his crew had to endure the taunts of the higher classes. Every day he found it harder and harder to bite his tongue. His blood was boiling. He was itching for a fight. He needed a mission, or he was sure he would snap.

His eyes wandered around, observing the other Saiyans. They were all engaged in their own training. Their eyes were narrowed in concentration, their bodies poised to strike at the right moments. They were indeed effective fighters. However, even though some of them were of a higher class, they couldn't claim to be better than his men.

"Bardock?" Tora's voice attempted to pull him back into reality. "Are we going to do this or what?" Tora was his best friend. And his usual sparring partner.

"Sorry," Bardock muttered, still not taking his eyes off the others. Tora relaxed his body from his springing position. He followed Bardock's gaze.

"What is it?" He asked. Bardock made no reply. There had been one Saiyan, a female that had caught his attention. She was short, with long flowing black hair that had been tied back. Despite her obvious effort to tame it, her hair was just as unruly as his. Her movements were graceful, fluid. Yet she was attacking her partner with an anger that had to have been provoked. He could see fire dancing in her dark eyes. While it had appeared that her partner had the upper hand, she was slowly wearing him down and gaining the advantage. He could see their lips moving and strained to hear the conversation.

"I think you'd be better off not knowing, Sona," the male Saiyan said, snidely. He tried to sweep her legs out from under her, but was unsuccessful.

"_I_ think you'd better tell me what happened to him, or I'll kill you," she snarled, swiping at his head. He laughed and delivered a jab to her abdomen. She was knocked backwards.

"That's a bold claim, indeed. You know, Sona, I'd just like to see you _try_ that." The male Saiyan was still laughing, obviously not intimidated by the female, Sona. Sona recovered from the jab she had received, and advanced on the male once more.

"I'm not in the mood for games, Anker," she said, so quietly that Bardock almost couldn't pick up what she was saying. "Tell me what you've done." The male, Anker, didn't respond. Sona delivered a series of kicks that had him on his knees within seconds.

"Fine," he said, panting. "Your brother was a good for nothing third classer just like you." Sona kicked him again, this time aiming for his jaw. She spat at the ground.

"Tell me something I _don't_ hear every day." Her fists were clenched.

"Your brother was useless. He was the weakest of the group. He almost cost us our last battle. So, I did what any wise leader would do. I killed the bastard." There was a pause. "I told you, you didn't want to know," Anker said, smugly. Sona let out a shriek of rage. She was attacking Anker, moving so fast that some of her movements were hard to catch.

Bardock turned away. Aside from his crew, he had never felt any sort of connection to another Saiyan. It wasn't really common. Still, he sympathized with this Sona. She was fortunate enough to have even _known_ her brother. And now he was dead. Killed by his leader, no less. Bardock quickly brushed these thoughts aside. He couldn't worry about that girl now. He had training to do…

Tora had turned back to face Bardock almost as soon as Bardock had lost interest in Sona's fight. He squared his shoulders and resumed his striking pose. Bardock smiled.

"Let's get this over with," he said. He felt his own body coil. As he and Tora began their attacks, he felt some of his previous anger dissipate. His innate desire to fight swallowed up his whole being. Tora had become faster at attacking. He was learning. Slowly but surely, he was learning. Bardock put all that he had into his attacks. Still, it was close. Tora was becoming stronger and stronger. He had to focus-

Bardock heard a scream. It sounded like Anker's voice. He peeled his eyes away from Tora for a split second. Sona had fulfilled her promise. Anker was as good as dead. She had delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, and her leg had managed to go through his body. Anker was shaking with pain, his deep, red blood flowing freely down his armor. Sona pulled her leg back through his body. She was drenched in sweat, dripping in blood, and shaking with rage. She managed to toss a chilling smile at Anker. Bardock failed to see what happened next, as Tora delivered a blow to his stomach. Bardock felt a flash of pain, and doubled over. He should have been focused on his own battle, he scolded himself.

"We should stop," Tora suggested once Bardock had regained his balance. He could sense Bardock's mind was occupied with other thoughts. "Come on," Tora said, walking off. Bardock followed Tora away from the group of Saiyans. He searched in the crowd for Fasha, Shugesh, and Borgos, but there was no sign of them. They had probably already left. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise him. They had all been training for hours. He walked in silence behind Tora. He knew where they were headed; the tavern. His crew members couldn't avoid it. Hardly any Saiyan could. Bardock, however, had a particular distaste for it. He hated mingling with the other classes, constantly being reminded that he was inferior. Still, he trudged alongside Tora, wordlessly.

The din of the tavern hit Bardock like a brick wall. There were groups of Saiyans laughing and conversing loudly, engaging in small brawls, and some interacting flirtatiously. Bardock was able to pick out Fasha, Borgos, and Shugesh quickly. They were in a far back corner with some other third classers. Tora led them to the back, where they joined the group.

"Hey, Bardock," Fasha greeted snidely, "Fancy seeing you here! I thought you and Tora still had a good hour of practice left in you." She took a deep swig from her glass.

"My mind was a little…preoccupied today," Bardock replied, sitting.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Shugesh cut in. "We all have our off days. Besides, it's not like we're on a mission." Bardock laughed darkly.

"I only wish we were," he said, barely audible. He slumped back in his chair, leaning his head against the wall. As the others began to strike up a different conversation, Bardock closed his eyes. The monotony of his current lifestyle was draining. He felt useless, and utterly mad. He toned out the other noises around him, and tried to calm his fraying nerves. He yearned for the chance to fight a real battle. He yearned for the chance to have blood on his hands, feel the rush of looking into the full moon, and smell the fear in the air. He didn't get any of that in his training. He sighed deeply and opened his eyes again. Tora sensed his frustration, and clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Bardock. I'm sure we'll get another assignment soon," he said, reassuringly. He flashed Bardock a half grin. Bardock hoped his friend was right. He didn't know how much longer he could stand staying on Vegeta. "You know, I've never seen you this distracted before," Tora added, "Then again, I can't blame you. That girl was quite captivating."

As if on cue, the doors to the tavern slid open. The Saiyan girl, Sona, strode in proudly.

"Speak of the devil," Tora said, watching Sona. Her armor was cracked. She was in way worse shape than when they had left. Her lip was bleeding and her right eye was swollen. Still, she kept her head high, and proceeded to walk to the bar. Her leg was still stained with Anker's blood.

"Guess the rest of the crew wasn't too happy when they saw what she'd done to their boss, huh?" Tora asked, jokingly.

"Yeah," Bardock agreed. "I guess she got her fair share of a beating."

Sona took the drink the bartender offered to her. Instead of drinking it, she held the cool glass to her eye. The piercing cold relieved the painful, stinging heat radiating from her eye. She cast her eyes darkly around the tavern. The last place she wanted to be was in the middle of a crowd, but the situation really couldn't be avoided. She walked to the back and sat alone. It was rare that a table was unoccupied in the tavern. As she sat, she sprawled her limbs out to block others from attempting to join her. She sat in silence, observing the large group of second classers. Most of them were drinking mindlessly, acting like fools. Then again, she felt that most second classers _were _fools. Her team had consisted mostly of second classers, and she didn't like what she saw. Still, she was proud that she and her brother were the only third classers on the team. When he disappeared things changed. She had worried about him. When she realized Anker had killed him, she snapped. Honestly, she couldn't claim to be surprised that she had been dismissed from the team. None of them liked her particularly well, and killing Anker just sent them over the edge. She'd have to find another team to join soon, or she was as good as dead. Her old teammates would probably beat her to death. She was a strong fighter, but she wasn't nearly strong enough to fight four second classers. She removed the glass from her eye, and studied its contents for several seconds. She took a skeptical sniff. She'd never been much of a drinker, but this seemed as fitting an occasion as any to have one. She took a small swig of her drink, letting the liquid pleasantly burn in her throat.

She had hoped to be left alone for the next several hours. News of her little brawl must have traveled quickly. A stern face she recognized all too well made its way through the crowd and stopped mere inches from her own. She met the face's intense gaze, smiling smugly. She knew it was a stupid move, but at the moment she didn't really care.

"Hello, Nappa," she said. "I haven't seen much of you since you cheated your way to the top. How've things been?" Nappa growled menacingly.

"I don't think you realize how much trouble you're in, Sona," he said, darkly. "Anker is dead."

"Yeah, I realize that," she said. She swished the liquid in her glass around. Nappa slammed his fists down on the table.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She almost understood his rage. It must be frustrating to have one of your best trainees killed by a low level. "Do you realize how many elites you've angered? You can't just lose your temper like that. You cost us one of our best fighters!"

"And he cost me my brother," she said. She was losing it again. She slammed her glass down on the table. Nappa laughed, unnerving her more.

"As if a simple low class warrior matters," he chuckled. "Do you really think your brother's work could have pleased Frieza? I'm surprised Anker didn't get rid of him earlier." Sona stood, her blood boiling.

"Shut up," she said, dangerously quiet.

"Or what?" Nappa asked, provokingly. "I'm a lot stronger than Anker, Sona. And you're already too weak to fight me. It would be simply pitiful at this point. Actually, it would be a lot like fighting your brother. We did spar once. I believe it lasted maybe ten seconds at best." Nappa laughed at the memory. Sona let out another fierce scream of rage.

The whole tavern had stopped their conversations to watch the interactions between the two. It was the second time that Bardock had seen Sona go over the edge like this. Only this time, he highly doubted the odds were in her favor. Nappa was a first classer, and he was right about Sona's sapped strength. Still, he saw the spark of determination in Sona's eye as she lunged towards Nappa. He easily threw her aside. She came crashing toward Bardock, sliding across his table. Bardock looked over at Nappa, who was preparing to attack again. He stood, ready to defend the girl. Not because he felt obligated to, but because he didn't think he could stomach a gloating first classer. Sona saw Bardock preparing to attack Nappa. She stood quickly.

"Stay out of this," she hissed at him. Bardock was going to argue, but thought better of it. He stepped back.

"You're forgetting your place, Sona," Nappa said, advancing on her. He walked slowly, taking his time. He knew he had this fight in the bag. Once again, Sona tried to attack, but her efforts were futile. Nappa lifted her off the ground by her neck. "Another reckless move and I'll kill you myself," he said. He threw her across the tavern. She slammed into a wall and fell. She made no attempt to get up. "Oh, and you'd better find a crew to accept you." Nappa turned to face Bardock. "You're Bardock?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Bardock replied. He was a bit cautious, unsure if Nappa was going to attack him.

"You have a mission," Nappa informed him. "You're going to Canova. There will be more details later. Report to the shipping station in twenty eight hours." Bardock relaxed slightly from his tensed pose.

"Of course," he said. His heart was pounding. At that moment, he didn't care about anything else. He finally had another assignment. Nappa grunted and walked out of the tavern. All of the other Saiyans had gone back to their previous activities. Bardock turned and faced his crew.

"You've only got twenty eight hours. Enjoy yourselves while you can. We've got work to do," he smiled. His crew brightened at the thought of a mission. Their happy conversations elevated. Bardock, however, did not join them. He had something else on his mind; Sona. She needed a crew. One more member on his team really couldn't hurt. Besides, she was a third classer, and no other crews were going to accept her. He might as well be the one to do it. He looked over to the far wall, but she had disappeared. Glad at the chance to leave the tavern, he walked quickly outside.

Sona sat underneath a tree, her eyes closed. Her fists were balled tightly, and she was trying to steady her breathing. She was wise not to have attacked Nappa again. She would have regretted it in the long run. Still, she wished that she could prove to him that she wasn't as weak as he thought she was. And neither was her brother. Neither was Raditz. She heard the crunch of grass.

"Meditating?" a voiced asked her, almost mockingly. She opened her eyes, and looked at the owner of the voice. She couldn't help but admit that he was ruggedly handsome. He was tall and well built, like a warrior. His skin was slightly tanned, and he had a thin, elegant scar trailing down his cheek. His black hair was incredibly unkempt, much like her own, and his arms were folded proudly. His dark eyes searched her face. She recognized him from the tavern.

"Hardly," she scoffed. She stared up at him.

"I've seen you fight twice today," he told her, stepping closer to her. "You're not half bad. If you trained with people who actually cared about your performance, you could be great."

"Thanks for the confidence booster," she muttered. "How are you so sure you're better than me, anyway? I haven't seen you do anything but gawk." This wasn't exactly true; she'd seen him sparring several times. However, she could tell she hit a sensitive spot. His body tensed slightly.

"I hear you need a new crew," he said changing the subject. "It turns out; I think we have an opening." Sona laughed. It caught Bardock off guard.

"You can't be serious," she said. "You can't actually want me on your crew." When Bardock didn't reply, she was taken aback. "If I join your team, you can't expect to move forward. All of the second and first classers will hate you more than they already do-" This time it was Bardock's turn to laugh. He relaxed his body, and unfolded his arms.

"I don't think that's quite possible," he said, lightly. "Just think about it, Sona. We ship out in twenty eight hours." With that, Bardock strode away, anxiously awaiting his mission on Canova, as well as Sona's response to his offer.


	2. The Eternal Intricacies of Female Minds

"You recruited her?" Fasha asked. She seemed a little more upset than she should be. Bardock thought she would have been glad of the extra help, not to mention the fact that she would no longer be the only girl on the team. For the life of him, he would never be able to understand girls.

"I don't see what your problem is," he said, defensively. "Look, she's a low level just like us. She needs a crew or she'll be killed. It wouldn't hurt us to have another member. It's as simple as that."

"Yeah, but Bardock, we haven't even seen this girl fight. How do we know she'll be an asset?" Shugesh spoke up. Bardock threw him a dirty look. It was bad enough that Fasha was opposed to a new member. He didn't need his whole crew to oppose him.

"We just want to make sure you recruited her for the right reasons," Tora explained, trying to keep the peace. He was calmer than the others and wasn't looking for a fight. His calm attitude didn't lessen Bardock's anger any.

"The last time I checked,_ I_ was the captain, and I didn't really need your approval for my decisions," Bardock snapped. The harshness of his words surprised him. He had never pulled the 'I'm the captain, so do what I say card' very often. For some reason, his crew's reactions were getting to him. Maybe it was the lack of bloodshed in his life, maybe it was that he wasn't used to any insubordination from them.

"Well I'm glad to know that we mean_ so_ much to you," Fasha snorted. "If you don't need us around anymore, maybe you should just go to Canova by yourself."

"Fasha," Bardock growled. "You know I don't feel that way about of you. I never could. Besides, she really hasn't accepted my offer yet, anyway." This comment seemed to calm Fasha's nerves a little bit. She didn't protest anymore, but fell silent. Bardock could still sense he hadn't quite cooled off Fasha's smoldering temper. He had to continue to play cautiously around her or she would explode.

"Well, if she's going to accept, she'd better hurry. We're leaving in a few minutes," Tora said. He was right. Their pods were being prepped right now.

"I guess I was cutting 'fashionably late' a little too close then, huh?" Sona said, striding in on cue. She had on new armor, her limp was gone, and the swelling in her eye had decreased significantly. She turned to Bardock and smiled. "Before I accept or decline your offer, Bardock, I'd like to meet the rest of the team."

"Of course," Bardock nodded. "This is Tora, Fasha, Shugesh, and Borgos." He pointed out each of his men as he said their name. Sona nodded in greeting to each of them. Mostly, she received cold looks and unresponsive faces.

"I'm sorry; I couldn't help but hear your conversation earlier," she said, turning to Bardock. Her tone wasn't apologetic, but it was sincere. "If it's a problem for me to-"

"It's not a problem-" Bardock began. He didn't want any members of his crew to say something stupid. They didn't realize it just yet, but Bardock knew that his team needed this girl. He wasn't even quite sure why himself. But, long ago, Bardock had acknowledged the fact that part of him was very animal. When his instincts spoke up, he listened. They had never let him down.

"Don't slow us down," Fasha said sharply to Sona. "If you prove yourself on this mission, you're in. I think we can all agree on that. Right guys?" Tora, Shugesh, and Borgos grunted in agreement.

"Of course," Sona nodded. She didn't think that keeping up with these guys would be too hard. Bardock seemed like he was too soft on them. And besides, she'd been training with second classers most of her life, so her fellow third classers couldn't be too hard to keep up with. She kept these thoughts to herself, however, sensing that Fasha's nerves were on edge.

Some of the tension that Bardock had felt between his team members started to disappear. Perhaps it was Sona's calm, confident demeanor. Maybe they were just eager to get the hell out of here. Whatever it was, he was grateful for it.

"The pods are ready when you are," a short man said, striding past their group. "Good luck." Fasha, Tora, Shugesh, and Borgos walked quickly to their pods. They were just as anxious and excited about this mission as Bardock was. But Bardock hadn't got an answer from Sona just yet. And that's what he was waiting for.

"Listen, I'm sorry about your brother," he began. He was surprised at his sudden compassion for her. Still, he continued. At this point, he wasn't sure if he was sucking up, or if he really cared for the girl. At any rate, his kindness seemed to be working. "I know it must be weird being on a crew without him there." Sona shrugged.

"Raditz always talked about finding a new team," she told him. "I guess if he hadn't died, we'd still be stuck in the other crew. I suppose it's just destiny," Sona was glad to be rid of her old teammates. She didn't quite understand Bardock's desire to have her on his crew. Sure, she was a decent fighter. But if he had any extra room, he should be trying to recruit second classers. Still, she wasn't going to argue with him on that.

"So, are we through chatting? I'm ready to start this mission," She said, placing one hand upon her hip. Bardock's somber expression melted into a mischievous smile. That was just the answer he had wanted to hear. Without really waiting for an answer, Sona followed the others towards their pods. Bardock could feel his heart racing. This was it. His thirst for blood would finally be sated.


	3. Canova

Though the journey to Canova was only a matter of days, it felt like an eternity. Bardock was incredibly restless. He couldn't sleep, and really had no one to talk to. While they were in their pods, they tried to keep to themselves, especially since there was really no way to have a private conversation with just one other person. He was sure that the others were having an equally unpleasant time.

When they finally landed in the outskirts of a Canovan forest, Bardock had never felt happier. Finally, his thirst would be quenched. His companions were out of their pods just as quickly as ever. Bardock could feel the excitement radiating from them. It mixed with his own, as though this emotion of euphoria would not be able to be contained by his body. This was what he lived for.

He led them through the forest, and they found lodging in a cave. They set up camp for the night, all too eager to fight, but the time wasn't quite right. Bardock looked up at the sky, staring at the moon. He studied its shape, intently. His elation slightly deflated when he realized what phase it was in. They would have to wait at least a day more.

"There should only be a day or two until the full moon," Bardock informed them. "Until then, we'll just lie low. You know the drill." Borgos went back to chewing on… whatever it was he had. Shugesh lay on his back, and heaved a deep sigh. Fasha just looked bored. She kept her back to the fire, leaned back on her arms, and closed her eyes. It took Bardock several seconds until he realized he didn't see Sona. He stood and walked to the mouth of the cave. Sona was sitting a little distance off, staring up at the waxing crescent. He slowly approached.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, hearing him approach, but not taking her eyes off the luminescent orb. He looked up. He never really gave the moon much thought, unless it was a full moon. Even then, he didn't spend too much time staring at it. But now that Sona brought it to his attention, he realized it did have a calming effect. Still staring at the moon, he sat beside her. "Sometimes I forget it's up there," she said. "But, when I need to clear my head, it's always there." They sat in silence for several seconds. Bardock couldn't help but realize how unusual Sona was. She seemed to be way more… tame than the others.

Sona pulled her knees up to her chest, and flicked her tail back and forth. She wasn't really used to the company of others. Back on her old team, she was generally avoided. She was the only girl, and one of the only third classers. No one really liked her; they just knew she could get the job done. But Bardock was giving her more attention than she was used to. She didn't hate it, but at the same time, she wasn't sure how to react to it. He was still like most Saiyans in many ways; heartless, bloodthirsty, and arrogant, but there was an odd sort of compassion hidden behind that mask. She noticed he seemed to genuinely care not only about her, but about all the others on his crew. It was a different feeling for her.

"Sometimes, I find myself wishing we didn't need the moon," Bardock said, breaking the silence. Sona pulled her eyes away from the sky and looked at him. "Waiting around isn't really my idea of being productive. Or having fun," he said, laughing a little. Sona stood, still looking at him. She had a half grin on her face, and her hands on her hips.

"Fun, huh?" she said. She knew exactly what he meant. Just sitting here waiting for a chance to attack was hardly what she wanted to be doing. "Maybe we can kill some time by making fun of our own. _Without_ waiting for the moon." She coiled her body, preparing to strike. She had seen Bardock fight before, and was anxious for the chance to see how she matched up. Besides, she hadn't really had a sparring partner since slaughtering Anker. Almost instinctively, Bardock got to his feet, his body tensing up as well.

They both lunged for each other, moving swiftly. Sona delivered several kicks, but Bardock managed to block them. There was intense power behind them, and they managed to sting his arms a little. In return, Sona successfully blocked the attacks he threw at her. They were quite evenly matched. Bardock began to increase the speed with which he attacked, but Sona was still able to keep up. Their battle began to become more like a dance. Their limbs wound in and out of each other and their bodies moved together in perfect time. Sona moved gracefully and fluidly, never breaking the tempo she had set for herself. Her face was furrowed in concentration. Bardock had, once again, allowed himself to be distracted by her, and she quickly overpowered him. Before he had time to realize what had happened, he was on his back. His arms were pinned by Sona's strong hands. She was crouching over him, breathing heavily but smiling victoriously. It was hard for her to believe that she had just bested one of the strongest third classers she had ever encountered. She would have considered it luck, because somehow she believed Bardock was distracted by her. Her Saiyan pride pushed this idea aside and insisted that she won simply because she was better than he. Her eyes fell into his for only a moment. In that split second, her elation at winning was swallowed up by another desire. A desire that she had never really experienced this intensely before: lust.

"Yield," she said, and she playfully kissed his jaw line. She released his arms and stood. Bardock followed suit. His defeat stung, he wouldn't deny that. It seemed that Sona had discovered his weak point, whether she was aware of it or not. He didn't even want to admit to himself that he had a weak spot, but its presence was becoming clearer.

"Not bad," he said, grinning and looking down into her glowing face. He could sense that there was something written deeper in her face, aside from the satisfaction. Her eyes had taken a more intense stare, like she was determined to have something. Bardock recognized the feeling, something similar stirring up within him. Even then, as he faced her, he felt his own desires flare up.

Sona's heart rate was increasing rapidly. Bardock was just staring at her. It wasn't an intimidating stare, but was more of an intense curiosity. It was taking all she had in her to refrain from grabbing him. She flicked her tail back and forth nervously, but didn't dare remove her eyes from Bardock's face. She couldn't screw anything up. He was her captain. Any other sort of relationship was pretty much forbidden, she reasoned with herself. She'd have no crew to join. And the last thing she wanted to do was to get Bardock mad. She stood still as a stone, wishing her body not to move. She'd never wanted anything this badly in her life. She wanted Bardock, not only in the carnal sense, but she wanted to have his constant companionship. It would be nice to have a companion again. It had been such a long time since she had felt any sort of attachment to someone else. But she couldn't. She couldn't get attached. She scolded herself for thinking such weak and foolish thoughts, and tried to regain her senses. The seconds dragged out into what felt like an eternity.

Bardock was sure that only a few seconds had passed, not that he was counting. At this point, he was past his limit. There seemed to be some sort of battle that Sona was waging with herself. He could see the lightning in her eyes and the nervous twitch of her tail. His anger at his defeat had melted away. Now he had one single desire. He knew it was a horrible idea; it was just a matter of convincing himself to walk away. Try as he did to resist, the animal inside him pushed aside any of the sane thoughts he had in his head. Without even thinking, he had grabbed Sona by the arms with a gentle urgency. He pulled her forward and felt the warmth of her lips against his. Immediately, he felt Sona's tense, rigid muscles relax, almost melting into his own. She unfolded her arms and ran her fingers gently through his hair. When they broke apart, Bardock flashed a half grin. She smiled in return, and laced her fingers through his. Though they were strong and supple, they were surprisingly soft.

"Well, I guess we could say we've had a productive evening," she said. She heaved a satisfied sigh and turned her attention back to the moon. "I don't think you should worry too much, Bardock. We'll be able to attack, this time tomorrow."

"Let's hope so," he muttered. He didn't turn to the moon, but kept his eyes on Sona. She was different. She seemed to be more innocent and naive than any other Saiyan he had encountered. Most would have considered this a weakness, but he found it to be one of her strengths. It was curious, really.

"Bardock!" Fasha called from the cave. He could hear her approaching them. He didn't want to untwine his fingers from Sona's, but he knew he had to. If their attraction was to develop, no one could know. Especially not his crew. One day, the time would be right, but it was not now. Besides, Fasha was like a sister to him. He had known her almost his whole life. She was the only female he was close to, and given the way that she reacted to Sona joining the team, he didn't want to upset her further. He gently released Sona's hand, and turned to Fasha.

"It's getting late," she said, stating the obvious. "If we're going to be up any later, we should talk strategies. Otherwise, we should rest. They say the Canovans are peaceful, but you can't always trust the database."

"Good idea," Sona said, starting off toward the cave. She had a light spring in her step. Bardock moved to follow her into the cave, but Fasha stopped him by placing her hand on his chest.

"Bardock," she said gently. She looked at him, her eyes soft. "I didn't mean to snap when you told us about Sona. I've just grown accustomed to being the only strong female in your group of imbeciles," she grinned. Bardock hadn't seen her smile in a while. It was a relief to finally see a relaxed expression on Fasha's face. "I guess I'm just not used to the way things have changed. But, Bardock, just promise me," she said, but she began to hesitate. "Promise me nothing is happening between you and Sona."

"Of course not, Fasha," Bardock lied. She had always been protective of him, even before she realized she was two years his elder. He wasn't sure that she bought his lie. Her deep violet eyes were still searching his face, scrutinizing him. Eventually, she removed her hand and let him pass, following closely behind him.

Fasha had known Bardock since their people had fought the Tuffles. They were both young then. But something about being the only girl that was special to him made her happy. Not that she had ever been carnally attracted to Bardock. It was never that way. They just watched out for each other. It was almost an unspoken agreement. Neither of them had really known their parents, and it was nice to know someone cared. Then, she met Tora. She and he were almost inseparable. He meant something different to her than Bardock did, though Tora didn't really acknowledge her feelings. She knew any sort of attraction between them was forbidden. And even when she had her eye on Tora, she was able to keep the other on Bardock. She didn't forget him. In the back of her mind she had always known that Bardock would find someone he liked eventually. She just didn't want him to forget her. She hadn't forgotten him. She never would.


	4. Victorious Return

The next evening, the games began. The full moon was such a glorious sight to all of them. They let themselves be seen by the Canovans. Their frightened reactions only fed the Saiyans' excitement.

The assault on Canova was quite successful. It had only taken a matter of hours. The Canovans did not anticipate their arrival, and were easily overpowered. The battle was just the thing Bardock needed. He was feeling a little more like himself. He and his crew were basking in the Canovan sunlight, sitting in one of the craters they had created the night before.

"Well that was quite a riot," Fasha said. Her voice had taken on a happier tone. She wasn't half as harsh as she'd been acting mere days before. Bardock had a feeling that _all_ of them had needed this attack. "I only wish it hadn't been so easy."

"As long as we keep getting missions, I'm not one to complain," Tora said.

"Oh, come _on_ Tora," Fasha said. "You have to admit that battle was a little beneath us."

"How do you know? Do you remember it?" He asked her, already knowing the answer.

"Hell no, I don't remember it. But _obviously_ it was quickly won," she said, smiling. She flicked her bangs out of her eyes and looked over at Sona. Her attitude towards the newcomer had greatly improved since their first meeting. "What do you think, Sona? Easy?"

"Well, for a peaceful race, they put up a pretty good fight. But, yeah, they didn't stand a chance," Sona agreed. Fasha looked shocked for several seconds.

"You mean, you actually _remember_ what happened?" Sona shrugged.

"Yeah, bits and pieces." She didn't see what was so impressive about this. So she could remember some of her battles while she was in her Oozaru form. It wasn't like the bloodshed was any more invigorating than when she was in her human form. "It's not like any of it was super exciting."

"Well, at least we got it over with quickly. You think they'll send us off on another mission straight away?" Fasha asked.

"We can only hope," Tora said. "If I have to wait that long for a mission again, I think I'll go crazy. That was murder." Tora said it, and everyone else silently agreed. All of them shared the same undying thirst for bloodshed. This fight had only temporarily satisfied that thirst. And Bardock knew that the satisfaction wouldn't last long, especially seeing as how it wasn't even a particularly good fight.

"Well, sitting around her e isn't going to get us another assignment. We'd better head back to Vegeta," Bardock said, standing. His crew followed suit. They quickly stomped out their fire and began walking in the direction from which they had come. The journey back was a lot less scenic, since most of the forests had fallen the night before. They trudged on in silence for several minutes until Shugesh spoke up.

"I always love coming back after a successful mission," he sighed, a smile in his voice. "It can make you pretty popular with the ladies." Bardock tried not to roll his eyes. Shugesh had made it a ritual to talk about women at some point in a mission. Usually it was at the most inopportune moment. At least this time, his timing wasn't horrible. "You just tell 'em a war story or two and-"

Bardock tuned out his voice. In all honesty, Shugesh wasn't at all popular with women. He'd had maybe one or two girls show some sort of interest, but it never went anywhere. Especially since the only women Shugesh chased around were of the upper classes. Sometimes attraction across classes was possible, but it was rare. In Shugesh's case, it was impossible.

Bardock glanced furtively toward Sona. She was listening to Shugesh's drastically exaggerated stories about his experiences with women, and smiling to herself. She lifted her eyes and met Bardock's gaze. Her smile widened ever so slightly, but she quickly looked back toward the ground.

Shugesh finally shut up once they reached their pods. Bardock wordlessly thanked whatever higher power caused this fortunate turn of events. Their flight back to Vegeta was just as dull and uneventful as their flight to Canova. The silence was maddening. Bardock almost wished that Shugesh would start talking again. Eventually, he became comfortable with it, realizing how tired he was. His body ached, and his eyelids were heavy. Since they had a good few hours left until they arrived at Vegeta, sleep was the best option. The second he closed his eyes, Bardock fell in and out of different dreams, not remembering, nor caring about, any of them. He was jolted awake what seemed like mere seconds later. His pod door hissed open. He was back at Vegeta's shipping station. It was a relief to finally be home.

The others quickly made their way to the tavern. Bardock's eyes followed Sona. She took a different path from the others, not looking back. Bardock found it strange that she had hardly acknowledged him since the night before. He stood in his place, unsure of what to do.

"Bardock?" Tora asked, his voice stealing Bardock's attention away from Sona. "The rest of us are heading up to the Tavern to celebrate."

"Thanks, Tora. But I don't feel like being around a crowd right now. I need to clear my head," he lied. Tora's eyes flicked in Sona's direction and watched her retreating figure for a fraction of a second.

"Oh," he said, flicking his eyes back to Bardock's face. "Okay. If you can, stop by, eh?" He grinned boyishly and clapped a hand on Bardock's shoulder before followed the rest of his friends.

Bardock ran after Sona, not really sure of the reason why. He wasn't sure what he was going to say when he caught up with her. He wasn't thinking clearly at all. In fact, he was almost positive his legs were moving of their own volition. He followed Sona into the healing facilities. She seemed to be well known there. Many of the doctors greeted her jovially as she passed. Bardock tried desperately to catch up with her, but always seemed to be several feet behind.

After wandering around aimlessly for several minutes, Sona finally found Planthor. He was monitoring one of the rejuvenation chambers, taking notes on a clipboard. She entered the room silently so as not to break his concentration.

"Hello, Planthor," she greeted quietly once the furious scribbling of the pen had ceased. Planthor looked around and laid eyes on her. His elderly face stretched into a smile and his eyes lit up.

"Sona," he said. "You're back alive. I'm assuming things went well," he said. He turned his back to her so he could continue his examination.

Bardock felt awkward from the outside looking in. Obviously Sona knew this doctor. He wasn't familiar with the man himself. It appeared that Sona had a tight connection with this man, almost like father and daughter. He couldn't be Sona's father, though. This man wasn't a Saiyan. Still, Bardock felt that he shouldn't be looking in on them. He would talk to Sona some other time. He strode off, bracing himself for the tortures of the tavern.

"They couldn't have gone better," Sona said cheerily. "We were done in a few hours. And believe me when I tell you, that was _not_ a small planet."

"Your father would be proud of you," Planthor told her. "I'm sure Raditz would be, too." Sona smiled. She knew that her father and brother would indeed have been pleased by her work. She wasn't entirely sure that she could claim it as entirely her work. It seemed, sometimes, that her father and brother were lending her some of their strength.

But if her father and brother would be proud, then she must be doing something right.


	5. Conception of Attraction

Their next mission came quite quickly. Sona was still keeping her distance from Bardock, strategically making sure that they were never alone together. She also seemed to be making friends with Shugesh, and that slightly bothered him. He wasn't sure what she had done or why she was avoiding him, but he wanted to change it. He missed the connection that they had once shared.

When the time came to set up camp, he left the rest of his men to build a fire and gather whatever wood they could find. He took Sona with him to scavenge for food. At first, there was nothing but silence, and the thickness of the falling night.

"I haven't seen much of you around lately," he said, lamely. This was true; she had been spending most of her time with her doctor acquaintances. This only forced him to remain in the tavern, or tinker around with what few tools and ideas he had.

"The tavern isn't really my kind of place," she said quietly. "Too many people, not enough quiet." She and Bardock fell silent when they heard a rustling through the trees. They looked around to see what had moved, hoping it was something edible.

"So the medical wards are your place?" he asked in a hushed voice, his eyes still searching for movement in the trees. He was entirely puzzled. He, for one, did not enjoy being there any longer than he had to. Sona hesitated to answer. She wasn't sure that she wanted to delve too far into her history. She tried so hard to put the past behind her and leave it in the past.

"Kind of," she said. "When we were fighting the Tuffles, my father was a doctor. Naturally, he wasn't as advanced in his knowledge as we are now, but at the time his knowledge sufficed. After Frieza took over, he was able to retain his post as a doctor. He made friends of sorts with the other doctors, and worked in that facility until he died. His colleagues are the only people I really know." Sona never liked to talk about her father. Thinking of him brought back painful memories of war, of her broken family, and of betrayal.

"Oh," Bardock said softly. "And all this time I thought you were just trying to avoid me." He was almost relieved.

"Well, I _was_," Sona replied. "I thought you… didn't want me around. I figured Fasha wouldn't like it. It seemed to me like the two of you have had… history." Once Sona had backed off from Bardock, Fasha's previously hostile attitude was becoming more and more amiable. She would almost consider the two of them to be friends.

"Who, Fasha?" Bardock asked, surprised. "Well, you could say we've had history, but it's not the kind of history you're thinking of."

"So you mean the two of you have never mated?" Sona asked. Bardock laughed.

"No, our relationship was never anything like that. We met back in the Tuffle war, too. We fought side by side, and regarded each other as siblings. She just likes to stick her nose in my business and make sure I'm being a good boy."

They heard the faint rustling again, and their conversation came to a halt. Their instincts kicked in, as they silently followed the sound. They were wordless and stealthy, occasionally ducking behind a tree trunk for cover. After following the noise for several feet, they were able to make out the silhouette of the animal. It was a huge thing, but obviously not a creature that they recognized. The creature had paused to rest, and was drinking from a nearby body of water. Bardock looked at Sona and silently signaled their attack.

Simultaneously, they charged forward, launching energy blasts at the creature. It let out a howl of pain, and swung wildly at the two Saiyans. It missed its targets every time, and was quickly brought down.

"Well, let's hope this guy is edible," Sona said, kicking at the creature's body. She sniffed the air, smelling the singed skin. It didn't smell particularly delicious, but she was so hungry she could care less at this point.

"If worst comes to worst, I'm sure Borgos won't mind eating it himself," Bardock grinned. The each picked up one of the creature's giant limbs, and began to drag it back to camp. It was heavy, but it wasn't anything they couldn't manage.

There was a pleasant silence between the two. Bardock finally understood why Sona had been so hesitant to be around him. It was understandable; Fasha was very intimidating when she was angry. She wasn't someone that you would want to cross. In the back of his mind, Bardock hoped that things could pick up where they had left off, now that Fasha had been explained.

The two returned to camp, greeted by their ravenous comrades. Much to their surprise, their catch was quite edible. The meat was succulent and tender, easily ripped from the bones. As they ate, the Saiyans chatted happily about the sport they would have in a few nights. As they finished their meal, a cool breeze began to blow. Sona grew tired. She stretched out her limbs, laying on her back, and scooted closer to the fire. The others' voices faded out to a peaceful silence.

When she woke, moments later, the fire had burned down to embers, and the others had fallen silent. They were all sleeping peacefully, their faces faintly glowing in the starlight. Sona stood, and walked a distance off. She leaned her back against a tree trunk, the rough bark pressing against her body. She knew she should have tried to go back to sleep, but she enjoyed staring up at the night sky.

Her peace was broken when she felt a slight breeze, and could make out something moving. She looked over to her left, and there was Bardock, leaning his back against the same tree trunk. His eyes looked tired.

"Can't sleep?" she guessed. He nodded, following her gaze into the sky, groggily. She smiled to herself as the two sat in silence. When she had first joined Bardock's crew, Sona had been wary of any company. Now, she was growing accustomed to it. She even enjoyed it.

The complete peace that Sona had felt previously, however, was now interrupted. Her heart was beating quickly, and though she wasn't physically touching Bardock, she could feel the electric shock pulsating across the short distance between them. The feeling of lust and carnal desire that she had felt a few days ago returned, stronger than ever. She also had the desire to freeze time, and remain in this moment forever. Everything seemed perfect.

Bardock was going insane. He was far too tired to think straight, yet he knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted nothing more than to close that little gap of distance between Sona and him. He wanted nothing more than to feel the warmth of her skin. And there she was, sitting perfectly still, tantalizing him. He lowered his eyes from the sky, and glanced over at her. It was as though she could feel his eyes upon her. She turned her gaze away from the sky, and their eyes met.

Their instincts kicked in, just as they had days before, and Sona and Bardock were reaching for each other, quickly closing the space between them. Sona's back was free from the rough bark of the tree. She felt nothing but the cool grass beneath her and the slight pressure and warmth of Bardock above her.. It seemed that no matter how close they got to each other, there was still so much distance between them.

"Fasha isn't going to be very happy with you," Sona smiled, as they broke apart. Bardock's face was hard to make out in the dim light, but she could hear the smile in his voice.

"She never is," he said.


	6. Incapacitated

Sona awoke to the chilly morning air gently nipping at her skin. She wearily cast her eyes around. Luckily, she was the first of the crew to awake. She sat up, trying not to wake Bardock, and slipped back into her armor. Unsure of when the others were going to wake, she decided to go and search for her breakfast.

As she walked silently through the wooded landscape, she let her mind wander. Mostly, her thoughts were filled with her father. She wasn't sure why he was at the front of her mind. He died shortly after the Tuffle war ended. The thing that she had never really understood about her father was his respect and adoration for her mother. Obviously that relationship didn't last long. She left after Sona was born. Sona never got to meet her mother, never knew what she was like. Her father rarely spoke of her, but when he did it was always with the utmost tenderness. She was almost bitter at her father for harboring those feelings towards her mother. After all, she had left him to take care of their child on his own. As she let her mind continue to ponder, she realized she was beginning to gain a faint understanding of how her father felt. It was something she thought she'd never comprehend.

She found some bushes by a small stream. They were laden with brightly colored berries. Sona didn't feel like putting out all the extra effort to kill an animal, so she reached forward and plucked a handful of the ripe berries. She cautiously sniffed. She determined that they smelled safe enough, so she popped them into her mouth. The rich flavor exploded in her mouth. She replenished her handful and continued to eat until she was satisfied. She took a drink from the stream and looked up at the sky. It was getting brighter now, and she was sure the others would be waking up soon if they hadn't already.

She began to trudge back through the stillness of the morning. As she had predicted the others had begun to wake up. There was another fire going to beat the chill of the morning. All of her friends awaked or otherwise, were gathered around it. Bardock, Borgos, and Shugesh appeared to still be asleep, but Tora was wide awake. Fasha was sitting up, but her posture indicated she wasn't fully awake. Sona joined them at the fire, glad to be able to feel tingling warmth in her fingers again.

"You must've been up early," Tora said as she sat down.

"I was pretty hungry," she said, running her fingers absentmindedly across her satisfied stomach.

"A woman who can think with her stomach," Tora laughed. "Very nice. Just out of curiosity, what did you find? Borgos ate all the leftovers," Tora's tone changed to one of annoyance as he spoke the last sentence. Sona understood that eating all the food must be a habit of Borgos, and a skill.

"There were some berry bushes, I'm sure you could find plenty of game though," she said. Tora stood and dusted himself off.

"Okay, well I guess I'll be back with everyone else's breakfast," he said, sighing. "Fasha," he said, sharply. Fasha's head snapped up and she looked at Tora wearily.

"What?" she grumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"It looks like we're on breakfast duty. Let's go," Tora began to walk off, not waiting for Fasha. She stood, stretched, groaned, and followed Tora off into the woods.

Sona grabbed a stick that was lying close to the fire and absentmindedly began prodding the logs. Sparks flew in different directions each time the stick touched the logs. After several minutes, the others began to stir. Shugesh sat up, and scooted closer to the fire, but made no conversation.

After several more minutes Bardock joined them. He sat next to Sona, wordlessly as well. Borgos was the only one to remain in an unconscious state, snoring loudly. When Tora and Fasha returned and began to roast the meal they had scavenged, Borgos finally began to stir.

"Good morning, sunshine," Tora said as Borgos sniffed the air. Borgos merely grunted in reply. He was a man of few words, and definitely not a morning person. He sat still, with a sulky expression, watching the meat turn on the handmade spit.

When their meal was ready, Borgos was the first to serve himself. The others didn't attempt to fight him on this. They were used to Borgos' aggressive eating habits. Borgos was a decent fighter, but you didn't want to cross him if you were fighting over food. You'd surely lose. Food was perhaps the only thing in the whole expanse of the universe that Borgos actually cared for. He took an apathetic stance towards everything else.

Borgos began to tear the meat off the bone he had grabbed for himself. He grunted in satisfaction. Fasha, Tora, and Bardock reached hungrily for the remaining bones.

"I hope we end this mission quickly," Fasha said, as they began to eat their meal. "There's just something about this place that doesn't feel right."

"It's probably just nerves, Fasha," Tora shrugged. Fasha threw him a dirty look and snorted.

"Yeah, right, because I always get _nervous_ before I'm about to wipe out an entire race," she said sarcastically, shaking her head. She paused before continuing seriously again, "I just get the feeling that something is going to happen, and we're not going to like the outcome."

"Let's hope it's just you being paranoid," Bardock said. He wasn't trying to poke fun at Fasha, but she took it that way. Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm being serious, you idiots," she said, sternly. "I'm not exactly the worry wart type, you know. I just think we should be on our guard, that's all. Being cautious never hurt anyone."

"Okay, we'll be careful," Bardock said cautiously. He didn't want to unintentionally offend Fasha again. He seemed to be able to offend her more easily now, not that he was trying.

They continued their meal in silence. They spent the rest of the day sparring with each other, waiting restlessly for the night. Bardock was sparring with Fasha, something he hadn't done in a long time. He had forgotten how powerful she was.

"It's been a while," she said, as she tried to sweep his legs out from under him. She had a slightly menacing smile on her face. "By the way, how did you sleep last night?" Bardock's heart stopped. Fasha's tone was so patronizing he was sure she knew. She must be furious.

"H-how did I sleep?" he repeated, dumbstruck. He blocked a jab aimed for his abdomen. Fasha just laughed.

"You're just not on your game today. I figured you must not have slept well," she smirked. Bardock almost heaved a sigh of relief. So Fasha didn't know. Not yet, anyway. But Fasha _was_ right. His head wasn't in his fight at all. His mind wandered easily, to things that were quite unimportant. He needed to concentrate if he intended to complete his mission on schedule. He squared his shoulders and began to attack Fasha with a new concentration and energy. It seemed to be working.

When night fell, the natives finally showed their faces. The Saiyans had been waiting impatiently for them to show up, causing a ruckus. The natives to this new planet were short. Their skin was a light greenish color, but had an odd metallic appearance. They didn't appear to be very powerful, but were quite capable of speaking angrily. The Saiyans couldn't understand what message the angry clicks were supposed to deliver. They did understand, however, that it wasn't friendly.

"Did we really need the full moon for this?" Bardock asked aloud, to no one in particular. No one responded. Both races just stood still staring at the other. Bardock couldn't wait to attack any longer. He made the first move, lunging towards the front row of natives. They were easily sent flying, even by his weakest ki blasts.

Bardock realized quickly that this was going to be a boring fight. Not even a challenge. He was sick of these kinds of missions. He desperately needed a challenge. He couldn't keep accepting all these low level assignments. He was better than that. His crew was better than that. If they had to travel so far from home, they might as well have a challenge.

His thoughts of boredom were sharply interrupted when he felt a searing pain in his left arm. One of the natives had buried his sharp, needlelike incisors into his arm. With the help of his scouter, Bardock could see that the creature's energy was increasing rapidly. He could feel his own energy draining, as well as the warmth of his blood leaving his body. Bardock had ceased his attacks to observe the creature latched to his arm for only a moment. All the other natives began to throw themselves at Bardock. He tried desperately to fight them off, but there were simply too many. He felt more shocks of pain as his energy was drained from him. He remembered collapsing to his knees, his head and lungs burning as though he was holding his breath, and the corners of his vision fading to black. After that, he had no recollection of the events of the past seven days.

When Bardock awoke, his vision was blurred. He was aware of the liquid blocking his vision and the oxygen mask attached to his face. He was in a healing tank. He could faintly see figures moving, one walking towards his tank and pressing a button. Bardock felt his weight return to him and removed the oxygen mask. As the tank's covering slowly slid back, Bardock stepped out, rubbing the water out of his eyes. When he opened them again, he recognized his doctor. Malaka. The rest of his crew was there, smiling at him.

"It's about time you recovered," Tora joked. "You've been in there long enough. Seven days, I think that's a record for you."

"How did the rest of the battle go? What happened?" Bardock asked, running his fingers though his currently limp hair.

"Well, when we became Oozaru, things started to work a little more smoothly. We could just squish the little buggers with our feet," Tora said.

"How did you get those… things off me?" Bardock asked, knowing the healing tank couldn't bring him back if an Oozaru stepped on him.

"They just sucked all your energy until they popped," Tora shrugged. He was so calm about everything. It was one of his best qualities.

"You know how much it pains me to say this," Fasha said, smirking, "but I _told_ you, you needed to be careful."

"I hate to interrupt, but I was wondering if I might have a word with Bardock alone," Malaka interrupted. The Saiyans grudgingly complied, saying rushed goodbyes to their friend and heading out the doorway.

"They were certainly off in a hurry, weren't they?" Bardock observed aloud.

"They have to leave for their next mission," Malaka said, beginning to test Bardock's reflexes.

"Whoa, they have another mission?" he asked. He began to walk after them. Malaka stopped him, sitting him down on a nearby metal chair.

"I told them to leave without you. Granted the situation that you are in, I don't think it's wise for you to be fighting battles. Give it a couple more days, and you'll be as good as new. "

"I can't just let my crew go off and fight!" Bardock said, slightly angered. "I should be there with them."

"You need to let them go, Bardock. You lost a lot of energy," Malaka said calmly. Bardock found it pointless to argue. He sighed and sat back in his chair. His mind wandered. He would be stuck on Vegeta, "incapacitated" for several months. He needed something to do, something to work on with his own hands. It had been a long time since he'd gotten to tinker. He missed those days.

"Am I at least free to return to my home?" he asked Malaka. He'd seen enough healing facilities in his life. He didn't want to prolong his stay.

"I suppose, but don't expect that I won't check up on you, boy," Malaka said. "Your health is important." Bardock stood quickly, thanked Malaka, and exited the healing facility. He knew exactly what was going to occupy his time until his crew returned home. It was something for all of them, something he knew they would all enjoy in their own way. But mostly, it was for Sona


	7. News of Heirs

Bardock was overjoyed when his crew returned a week and a half later. He had been slaving away on his project. It was nearly finished. Malaka had kept his word, as well, and would randomly pop in to check on him. Bardock was annoyed by the feeling of dependency, but didn't complain.

Instead of meeting him at the shipping station, Bardock's crew came to him. They were all tired looking when they filed into his home. Fasha slumped herself into a chair, and heaved a deep sigh.

"I think you'll be glad you missed this one, Bardock," she said. "It was no fun at all. And the trip took _forever_." Tora, Borgos, Shugesh, and Sona all collapsed in different chairs as well. They all had the same expression of fatigue and boredom stamped on their faces.

"Nothing too exciting happened while we were gone, did it?" Tora asked his best friend, grinning teasingly. Bardock rolled his eyes, smiling slightly.

"No, not really. There were just daily doctor visits. I've been working on a little battle tactic which I will show you during our next mission," Bardock said, slightly bored. "Oh, and King Vegeta is going to have an heir," he added, remembering that Malaka had mentioned it during one of his visits.

"An heir, huh?" Tora muttered. "Great. A little mini King Vegeta is exactly what we need right now."

"Well, maybe it'll be a _girl_," Fasha said, a hint of contention in her voice.

"What does that matter?" Tora retaliated. Bardock sighed. So it had been one of _those_ missions. When a mission was particularly uneventful, Fasha and Tora always took up their favorite pastime; arguing. It seemed as though these battles were never ending. They certainly were irritating. Borgos and Shugesh had long since tuned out their argument. They were arm wrestling violently. Bardock hoped they didn't break anything. He cast a glance over at Sona. She smiled warmly at him.

He stood. He had to show her first. None of the others would notice they were gone. Or care.

"I have a gift for you," he told her, gently taking her hand in his. He led her along, away from the others, out to a balcony. He slowly opened his free hand, letting it fill with a shimmering light. He cast the light into the sky, and it soared along gently, until it found its place in the middle of a clump of stars. There, it took form. It was an imperfect replica of the moon. Not a full moon, but a sliver of a silvery orb. It was breathtaking.

"So this is what you've been tinkering on for the past few days," Sona smiled, staring into the sky.

"Now we'll never have to wait around for the moon again," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't perfect it before I showed it to you-"

"-Bardock," Sona interrupted, silencing him with a kiss. "It's beautiful. Thank you." The kiss was unexpected, but it was pleasant all the same. Sona rested her head on Bardock's shoulder, staring up into the artificial moonlight. She was silent.

"Bardock?" she asked, not looking at him.

"Hm?" he replied. She was hesitant to answer. He could sense her edginess, and wondered what could be on her mind that bothered her so.

Honestly, she hadn't really thought of what she was going to say to Bardock. She hadn't thought of how he would take the news. Sona heaved a deep sigh, still uncertain and afraid to speak. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She hadn't really grasped the idea yet herself. And this would change so many things. She didn't want it to change things between them. This sort of thing had split her parents up, and she was determined to not become like them. However, aside from all her doubts, she was excited and glad. She held onto that emotion and began to speak.

"Bardock," she said softly, "We're going to have a child." She looked into his face. The artificial moonlight made his somber face seem softer and gentler. She couldn't quite read his expression, but he seemed to be surprised. They stood in silence for several moments more. Bardock's blank expression slowly melted into his usual mischievous half smile.

"Oh?" he said, placing a hand upon her stomach. "Maybe our little runt can one- up King Vegeta's," he laughed. Internally, however, he wasn't so sure how to feel about this child. A small pit began to form in his stomach. He wouldn't get to know this child, or to care for it. Once the class system had begun, all lower class children were separated from their parents. The chances of them meeting again were slim to none. He didn't want his child to be fatherless. Or motherless. However, if his child should find them again, he wasn't quite sure he was ready to be a father just yet. But there was really no other option. He was going to be a father.


	8. The Change Begins

"Well, why isn't she coming?" Fasha asked. There was a slight whine to her voice. Bardock was pleased to hear that Fasha actually enjoyed having Sona around.

"She's not hurt is she?" Tora asked, slightly concerned. Bardock shook his head.

"No, no it's nothing like that. Malaka just said she wasn't fit for duty," he replied. This was a lot harder than he had expected. He didn't think telling his two closest friends that he was going to be a father in a few months was going to be such a challenge. But it was.

"Not fit for duty? Not fit for duty my ass! Where'd that crack study medicine anyway?" Fasha asked, angrily. "Sona's perfectly fine."

"Haven't you noticed anything… _different_ about her?" Bardock asked. This whole beating around the bush thing was lame, but it was all he could think to do.

"Well, I've noticed she's put on a few extra pounds," said Tora. He said this as delicately as possible, so as not to offend Fasha. "That doesn't mean you're not fit for- Oh, Supreme Kai above!" Tora exclaimed, finally getting it. "Is Sona _pregnant_?" Bardock nodded. Tora and Fasha both stared at him with expressions of disbelief for several seconds.

"When did this happen?" Fasha asked, finally breaking the silence. "We've been on missions practically every hour of every day. And when we're not, she's always hanging out with that doctor guy. She couldn't possibly have had time to mate. And you would think she would have at least told _me_," Fasha said. "Did she say who the father was?" Bardock sighed. Now for the moment of truth. He wasn't quite prepared for this; his two friends were staring at him expectantly. Both Fasha and Tora knew that Bardock was a bit of a rule breaker, but he doubted that would save him. He was just glad Tora was here. If Fasha tried to kill him, at least Tora could intervene.

"I am," he said at last. As worried as he was, he was relieved to have told _someone_. Tora and Fasha stared at him for several seconds more.

"I'm sorry, I think I heard you wrong," Fasha said, folding her arms. "You _couldn't _have said _you_ were the father."

"I did," Bardock replied.

"You imbecile!" she screamed. She flew at him, swinging wildly. Bardock was able to block most of her hits. "You _know_ you're not supposed to mate with crew members! How many times do you have to hear that? And _when_ are you going to start thinking with your _brain_?" Bardock managed to grab hold of Fasha's wrists, ceasing her attacks.

"Fasha," he said. He wasn't really sure how to calm her down this time. He knew she wouldn't be happy with him, but she should at least try to be understanding. "I'm not stupid. I know that you're not supposed to mate with crew members. So I broke another rule," he said, shrugging. "And c'mon. It's not like none of us know about you and Tora." He glanced over at his friend who put his hands up in surrender, sheepishly. Fasha managed to pull her wrists out of his grip. Her anger hadn't faded any.

"You promised me," she whispered, before storming out. Bardock sighed. He looked to Tora for advice.

"You'd better go talk to her," he said. "I'm sure you'll manage to calm her down." He paused. "A father…" Tora was having just as hard of a time with the concept as Bardock. He scratched his head. "Huh," was all he could think to say. He clapped a hand to Bardock's shoulder. "Well, congratulations, I guess," he glanced warily towards the door. "And good luck."

Bardock walked outside after Fasha. She hadn't gone far. She was leaning her back against the building, her arms folded, and her expression stoic. She hardly acknowledged Bardock's presence as he walked up to her.

"Fasha," he started. Upon hearing her name, Fasha looked at him. Her stoic expression faded. He could see something written on her face, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Before he could continue with the rest of his sentence, she interrupted him.

"Do you remember when we first met?" she asked. "I hated you. I thought you were a pig. Since then, you haven't really proven me wrong," she laughed slightly. "We've saved each other's lives countless times. You were the only one that's ever really looked out for me." Bardock looked at her with a puzzled expression. Fasha wasn't one to show emotion. She rarely talked of how she felt, and hated reminiscing about the Tuffle war. She sighed. "I just don't want you to forget that, Bardock. I don't want you to forget _me_."

Bardock almost laughed. Sometimes Fasha let her insecurities run away with her. She was one of the only people he knew that he would actually consider to be his friend. In fact, she was more than that.

"Fasha," he said firmly. "You're practically my sister. I'm not going to forget about you," he smiled. "You make it sound like you're going to die or we're never going to see each other again. This kid isn't going to change _that_ much around here." Fasha smiled a little.

"If it's a girl, you'd better name the damn thing after me," she said, folding her arms again. "And you're right, I'm sorry. I overreact all the time. I just didn't want something like this to break our crew apart. I guess I should have realized that sooner or later you were going to break the only rule you'd left un-broken." She smirked at him. "I think I'll go visit Sona before we leave," she said, and walked away.

Bardock could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The hardest part was over. He would have time to break the news to Borgos and Shugesh on a mission, not that they would really care to know. They would have time for at least two or three missions before his child was born. He was still unsure of how to feel, but realized that whether he liked it or not, this child was coming. Perhaps circumstances would change. Perhaps he _was_ ready to be a father. After all, how hard could it be?


	9. Raditz

Bardock walked down the halls of the medical facility. He hadn't had much of a chance to visit Sona over the past few months. He hated the place, anyway. It was too quiet, too clean, too unnerving. He pushed aside all of his disgust for the place, and walked quickly.

He had received a message that his child had been born yesterday. He wasn't sure how he should feel. He was excited. He was nervous. He was angry. He had to put all of his negative feelings aside for now. He passed Malaka in the hall.

"Ah, you made it," he said, as he saw Bardock. "Sona's been waiting for you." He motioned for the Saiyan to follow him. They walked into a section of the facility Bardock didn't even know existed. They passed a large room lined with windows. There were several crying infants inside. He stopped, searching for his child.

"Oh, your son isn't in there," Malaka said, noticing Bardock had stopped.

"Not yet," Bardock muttered. He stopped, thinking over Malaka's words again. "I have a son?" he asked. Malaka nodded. Bardock swelled with pride. He had a son.

Malaka continued down the hall, stopping near the end. He motioned Bardock inside. He closed the door gently behind Bardock, enveloping him in the silence of Sona's room.

The room was white, just like everywhere else. There was a soft glow coming from a light in the far corner. The main light, however, was off. Bardock walked forward towards Sona's bed. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deeply. She looked exhausted. He didn't need a scouter to know her energy was drained. She slowly opened her eyes as she heard Bardock approach.

"Hey," she smiled. She sat up slowly, using one arm. In the other, was the child. He was wrapped loosely in a blanket, sleeping peacefully. Bardock didn't know what to say. He couldn't think, couldn't move. Sona smiled wider as she saw the dumbstruck look on his face. "Wanna hold him?" she asked. She held out her child. Bardock hesitated, but took the boy into his arms. He studied his son's face. The blanket had fallen away from his face, and Bardock could see that he had inherited his mother's creamy skin as well as her unruly long hair. He felt a smile creep to the corner of his mouth and ran his finger gently down his son's cheek.

"I was thinking of naming him after his father," Sona said quietly.

"We get to name him?" Bardock asked. He'd never had a child before, but he'd always assumed the government took over everything once the child was born. He hadn't even expected to get to see his son. Sona laughed.

"Of course we do," she said. "I have connections here, so we get to do things a lot of other parents don't." She smiled widely. "So what do you think?"

Bardock sat on the end of Sona's bed and looked down at his son. He shook his head slowly. "No," he said. "I don't think we should name him after me." He looked back at Sona. She had a puzzled expression on her face.

"Well, why not?" she asked. "It's a strong name. It belongs to one of the strongest men I know." Her eyes searched his face. It was almost impossible to tell what he was thinking. He seemed to be happy about their son, but extremely hesitant to get close.

When Bardock looked at his son, one name came to mind. It was the name of a Saiyan he'd never met. He regretted that. As he thought the name, it seemed more and more fitting, as though it belonged to his son.

"I think we should name him Raditz," Bardock said finally, looking back at Sona. "It fits." Sona smiled.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Bardock nodded. Her smile widened. That name also belonged to one of the strongest people she knew. Her brother was quite different from any other Saiyan she had met. Physically, he may not have been the strongest warrior, but he expressed emotions that most Saiyans were incapable of. Raditz was a beautiful name for her son. She leaned forward and kissed Bardock on the cheek. She ran her fingers gently through her son's hair.

"Then Raditz it is."


	10. Five Years Later

Nappa was waiting for them when they emerged from the training chamber. Verspa could tell that he wasn't too excited with the prospect of babysitting the royal twins. He really should be more grateful.

"The two of you are becoming stronger and stronger," he said encouragingly. He uncrossed his arms, and stepped towards them.

"Of course we are," Vegeta said. "We're elites." He took on a matter-of-fact tone. Nappa's declaration of the obvious was irritating. He didn't know why his father had insisted that Nappa be their caretaker. Vegeta slowly dressed back into his clothes. "Has my father returned from Frieza's ship yet?" he asked. His father had been there for days. Frieza wasn't that friendly, so he didn't know what the two of them could possibly be discussing that could take more than a few hours.

"He expects to return shortly," Nappa said. "Which means we need to get out of here." Once Verspa and Vegeta were dressed, Nappa led the way out of the training complex. He walked a little ahead, and was wordless. Verspa turned to her brother.

"What do you think Father and Frieza were talking about all this time?" she asked him curiously. Vegeta shrugged boredly. He was just as curious as she, but he was almost certain they'd never discover what went on during their Father's meetings with Frieza.

"Perhaps we'll finally get a mission," she hoped aloud. The two of them hadn't received their first mission as of yet. Their father had been hesitant to send them out. Verspa didn't understand his feelings. If he didn't let them go on a mission, how were they to know what to do? How were they to achieve their great potential? If it was because he was worried they wouldn't come home, he had no reason to worry. Besides, actually _caring_ made him weak. Verspa pushed this idea aside. She didn't have to worry about her father. He was not weak.

"You and me on a mission?" Vegeta laughed. "It would be no fun. It'd be over in several minutes. You can't honestly think there's scum on other planets that would stand a chance against us?"

"I suppose you're right," Verspa agreed, smiling at her brother. Vegeta smiled back. He didn't really have feelings toward anybody, but if he did, it was toward his sister. She knew him better than anyone else. They were almost one and the same. She was all he had.

The three of them walked down the cold length of the Great Hall. Much to Vegeta's surprise, his father was there, waiting. His father didn't look particularly pleased. Nappa approached his father, and bowed.

"Sire," he said his head down. He stepped aside, and allowed Vegeta and Verspa to walk forward. Normally, their father's face would have brightened upon seeing them, but it kept its stern expression.

"Leave us, Nappa," his father said. Nappa quickly exited the Great Hall. Vegeta's father heaved a sigh, and sat upon his throne.

"Your meeting with Frieza," Verspa spoke up, "How was it?" Vegeta rolled his eyes. His sister was one of the most strategic people he knew. When it came to conversation, however, she wasn't very tactful. His father pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," he said. "Frieza wishes for the two of you to prove your loyalty to him. He has commanded me to let you serve directly under him."

Vegeta and Verspa exchanged excited glances. This was their chance. This was their golden opportunity to prove their worth to their father, and even better, to Frieza. However, neither of them understood why this news bothered their father so.

"What else?" Verspa asked, sensing there was still information her father wasn't sharing.

"You leave tomorrow. You will reside on Frieza's ship. Nappa will occasionally check in on the two of you. We'll hardly see each other anymore, even if you _do_ survive all of your missions," her father continued. Vegeta laughed.

"Don't worry about us, Father," he said, "We can take care of ourselves. Once we prove ourselves to Frieza, I'm sure we'll have a lot more freedom. And if you wish for us to visit you, then we shall."

"You'd better prove yourself," their father replied. "You two are destined for greatness. You cannot fail our race now."

"We swear we shall do our best," Vegeta and Verspa said, simultaneously. Their father simply grunted and began to walk away. The twins were now free to do as they pleased.

"We serve under Frieza now," Verspa whispered excitedly. "What do you think that will be like, Brother?" she asked. Vegeta hesitated before he answered. He wasn't really sure. Frieza had not been described as a particularly enjoyable person. Vegeta wasn't scared of him, of course, he just hoped he wouldn't do anything brash.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" he said, half smiling. "I bet he'll send us on missions. At least we won't have to sit around here and be bored all the time." Vegeta walked with his sister back to their room.

They began to gather the belongings they would take with them when they went to Frieza's. It wasn't much, but it was all necessary.

The night was spent in restlessness. Neither Vegeta nor Verspa could contain their excitement long enough to fall into a deep sleep. Nappa came into their sleeping chamber while it was still dark outside, shaking them awake.

"It's time," he said. Vegeta and Verspa snapped up, quickly gathering their belongings. They followed Nappa out the door. Nappa was taking a path to a third class shipping station. Vegeta and Verspa traded inquisitive looks.

"What are we doing _here?_" Verspa asked. She didn't want to be surrounded by low levels. They always thought that they were stronger than they actually were. She was always given a dirty look. Not that she minded, it was a small price to pay for being an elite.

"Frieza has also requested a low level. We're here to pick him up before he gets sent on his next mission," Nappa sighed. He seemed just as unhappy to be here as Vegeta and Verspa were.

"We're going to train with a low level?" Vegeta scoffed, "Well that's insulting."

"Who is it?" Verspa asked, folding her arms. It didn't really matter. No third classer, adult or child, would be able to keep up with her and her brother. The poor third classer would probably die on the first mission.

"We're looking for Bardock's son, Raditz," Nappa said. He cast his eyes around the shipping station, looking for the boy.

Bardock. Vegeta had heard the name mentioned once or twice by his father. Apparently, this Bardock was a strong fighter, and he and his crew returned victorious from every mission. Vegeta hadn't heard anything about the boy, Raditz. He didn't really expect much, seeing as he was the son of a third classer. He sighed and crossed his arms, standing still beside Nappa and Verspa.

Raditz walked down the cold hall and yawned. It was early. He didn't mind getting missions all the time, he just hated leaving so early. He was about to enter his pod, when he felt a rough hand on his shoulder. He turned to face a tall, bald, mean looking Saiyan. Behind him were two younger Saiyans, about his age. The boy was the spitting image of King Vegeta, minus the facial hair. The girl had similar facial features; tall elongated face, strong jawbone, perpetual expression of superiority. However, unlike her brother, her hair didn't stick straight up. It fell a little past her chin, sticking out at random angles. Raditz stared at the three Saiyans, a puzzled expression on his face.

"You're Raditz?" The bald Saiyan asked, gruffly. Raditz nodded. "You're coming with us. Frieza has requested that you train on his ship." The bald Saiyan removed his hand from Raditz's shoulder, and turned to leave. The two younger Saiyans trailing behind him followed suit.

Frieza wanted _him?_ That didn't make any sense. He could understand why Frieza might want elites with him at all times, but he was just a third classer. He meant next to nothing. At first, he thought that the other Saiyans were laying a joke on him. When they didn't turn around laughing, Raditz assumed they were serious. He didn't argue or ask questions, he simply fell in line behind the two younger Saiyans.

The bald Saiyan led them to a shipping station much nicer than any of the ones Raditz had seen before. The ships were bigger and more luxurious. Raditz and the two young Saiyans were motioned inside one.

"I'll be joining you shortly," he said as the ship door hissed shut. The pod hummed to life and prepared to launch into the air. Both of the Saiyans occupying the ship with Raditz looked at him like he was a piece of trash.

"So you're Bardock's son, huh?" the female asked. Her tone was quite condescending. Raditz had been told that all elites acted this way. He knew the best thing to do, was to accept whatever taunts they threw his direction. It wouldn't be worth it to start a fight. Raditz nodded.

"What's your old man like?" Vegeta asked. He was curious about this Bardock fellow. He had to be somewhat important, seeing as how his father had mentioned him. Raditz was silent. "Well, come on. Surely you know," Vegeta asked.

"I've only met my father once or twice," said Raditz sheepishly. He wondered if Vegeta was toying with him, or if he really didn't know low levels rarely got to meet their parents. Raditz had been lucky. "I've heard he's a great fighter," he said, upon seeing his comrades' disappointed faces.

"I'm just going to be honest with you," Vegeta said. "You may have a strong father, but he's a third classer. You're here with the top dogs now. Verspa and I are the children of King Vegeta," Vegeta smiled as he saw his words sink in. Raditz's expression was a mix of awe, fear, and an attempt at placidity. "I don't know how you expect to keep up with us. All I can do is wish you luck in surviving our first mission." After completing his speech, Vegeta and his sister pushed a cold silence on the third classer.

Radtiz was angry. He didn't care who these Saiyans were. He didn't care who their father was. He was going to become just as strong as they were, if not stronger. He had to. He couldn't let them trample over him, because that was going to get very old very fast.


	11. After Kanassa

Tora came into Sona's room. He had the air of a victory about him, but she could tell something was bugging him.

"Tell me about Kanassa," she said, sitting up with one arm so as not to wake her newborn son. She winced slightly; she was still sore and quite weak. Tora sat on the end of her bed and sighed.

"Well, in short it was a success. We didn't know they were expecting us. Bardock said that the Kanassans have some sort of psychic ability. They were waiting for us when we arrived, but we easily overtook them."

Sona couldn't help but grin hugely at the news. Everyone had said her husband was a fool for taking on all the hardest missions. They said he was going to get himself killed. And every time Bardock was able to prove them wrong.

"Something happened to Bardock, though," Tora said. Sona's heart flew to her throat.

"Is he alright?" she asked.

"I think he'll be just fine. Some Kanassan survived and managed to attack Bardock. Planthor is taking care of him. He should be recovered soon. So far everything seems normal," Tora reassured her. Sona relaxed a little. Kakarot began to stir, whimpering gently. Tora's eyes fell on the child. "So this is little Kakarot," he smiled. "He looks just like Bardock," Tora mused. He stood slowly.

"_Another_ mission?" Sona asked. Tora nodded.

"The order came directly from Frieza," he said, smiling.

"Well, at least our efforts are finally getting noticed," Sona said, smiling back. "You be careful," she called as he walked out, "Don't let 'em beat you up too bad."

After Tora had disappeared, Sona decided to go and find Bardock. She wanted to greet him for herself. Their crew had been on so many missions the past few months; she'd hardly had any time to speak with Bardock. She swung her long legs off the bed. The cool tile felt soothing under her feet. Weakly, and quite slowly, she managed to stand. It hurt, but she pushed the pain aside and slowly began to walk down the hallways, looking for Planthor.

After several minutes of unsuccessful searching, she turned into the only wing of the ward that she hadn't looked in. in the first room was an enormous healing tank. Planthor was outside of it, and Bardock was inside. She walked in.

"How is he?" she asked. Planthor was surprised to see her.

"Sona," he said, sternly, "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be up." Sona rolled her eyes and didn't answer. Planthor sighed. "I don't see anything wrong with him. He just has an irregular brain pattern. It shouldn't really affect anything-"

An alarm started wailing. Planthor walked over to the controls, and quickly studied the information being flashed at him.

"What's wrong?" Sona asked Planthor. Kakarot had begun to cry. She was swinging him from side to side in her arms, trying to calm him.

"His brain activity is skyrocketing," Planthor said, draining the liquid from the healing tank. Once the door to the healing tank hissed open, Kakarot's cries subsided. Bardock opened his eyes and removed the oxygen mask from his mouth.

"Can we have a minute?" Sona asked.

"Take as many as you like," Planthor nodded. "Bardock is sitting this next mission out." He smiled at Sona. "Don't be up for too long, or you might over do it," he advised, and strode out of the room. Sona walked over to Bardock. He grinned.

"Hey," he greeted. "It's been a while." He stood, stepping out of the healing tank, and crossed the room to his armor.

"How are you feeling?" Sona asked. Bardock paused before replying.

"Weird. I just had these visions…" his voice trailed off. "Where are the others?" he asked, changing the subject.

"They got another assignment. From Frieza himself," Sona said.

"From Frieza?" Bardock asked, shocked. "That's good news. Maybe this whole class system is starting to mean less and less."

"Yeah," Sona laughed. "That'll be the day." Kakarot became restless once more. His cries made Bardock acknowledge his newest son. He looked into Sona's arms, and saw a mirror image of himself. He paused. This was the child he had seen in his vision. He wasn't sure just what that meant. Bardock put his scouter on, and kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Just where do you think you're going?" she asked him.

"To find my crew, of course. You don't think I'm going to let them have all this fun on their own, do you?" he asked. Sona sighed. Letting him go was against her better judgment, but she knew how he felt. Being left behind was horrid and dull.

"Don't let Planthor catch you," she smiled. Bardock grinned back, and turned to run out the door. He halted.

"I almost forgot," he said. He tossed her scouter. Sona caught it with one hand. "That's to keep you in the loop." He smiled and ran out the door.

"Looks like it's just me and you again, Kakarot," she whispered to her son. She wandered back down the hallways. When she collapsed in her bed, she felt immediate relief. She lay on her back and let Kakarot rest beside her.

Her mind wandered to Raditz. It had been a good year since she had seen him last. She was lucky to have been able to see him at all. She wondered how he was doing, or if he was still alive. Last she had heard Raditz was going to train with King Vegeta's children. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. In a way, she was proud. Yet, at the same time, she was worried for her son's safety.

She looked down at the sleeping Kakarot. Soon the time would come to let him go, too. She dreaded that day. Perhaps Bardock had it figured out. When Raditz left, he was upset. He had decided to avoid bonding with his sons so that when they left, it would take less of an emotional toll. She absentmindedly ran her fingers through Kakarot's hair, and felt her eyelids droop. She still had a few days left with her son, so she pushed her worries to the back of her mind and fell asleep.


	12. Ambush

Sona awoke to the sound of her name. Bardock was calling for her, through the scouter. She grabbed hers and attached it to her ear.

"Sona?" Bardock's voice was distressed, tired sounding. She could feel that something had happened.

"What's going on?" Sona asked, panicked. She _knew_ Bardock should have stayed. She should have listened to Planthor, and kept him here. After Kanassa, he wasn't ready for another mission. The others were strong enough to handle Planet Meat on their own.

"They-they're dead," came Bardock's slow reply. His voice was hollow, filled with sadness. Sona's own heart caught in her throat, and she held Kakarot tighter.

"What?" she whispered. It couldn't be. Sona could faintly pick up a voice calling Bardock's name. It sounded like a man's voice.

"Tora?" Bardock replied. Sona prayed that Tora was still alive. If _any_ of them were still alive it would be a miracle.

"Bardock," Tora said, faintly. Sona strained to hear the rest of their conversation. "It was an ambush," Tora continued. "We were ambushed by Dodoria and his men. We never saw it coming."

"Why would they do this?" Bardock asked, angrily.

"They're afraid of us," Tora said. "They're afraid we're too strong. Bardock, be careful," Tora said. His voice was getting fainter by the minute, and it sounded choked. "I'm sorry I can't hang around a little longer," he said, a smile in his weakened voice.

"Tora, don't you dare give up on me," Bardock said. "The idea that you can't pull through this is preposterous. I'm going to get you home, and you'll be just fine."

"Yeah," Tora agreed, unconvincingly. He laughed weakly. "Whatever you say, captain."

"Bardock, is he-" Sona began to ask, worry in her voice.

"No, he's not dead. Not yet. I have to get him back to-"

Sona heard abrupt voices in the background. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She was sure they were taunting her husband, which was a poor mistake on their part.

"You're right," she heard Bardock say. "I should have been there." Sona could hear a battle raging on, but she had no idea of the outcome. Kakarot began to grow restless in her arms. She rocked him gently back and forth, staring down at the child. He looked so like his father. She hoped Bardock would be back to see him again.

Just when it seemed the fight had come to a halt, another angry voice spoke. She couldn't hear what it was saying, but she could easily identify the owner; Dodoria. She heard Bardock growl quietly. Dodoria let out a cry of rage. She closed her eyes, willing her husband to survive. The seconds dragged by slowly. She heard an explosion. She waited several more seconds, and still there was no reply from Bardock.

"Bardock?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't know what she was going to do if he hadn't made it. Mentally, she was trying to prepare herself for the worst.

"Sona," came Bardock's haggard voice, "You need to get underground. Get all the Saiyans that will follow you and take them underground. If King Vegeta is there, do all you can to get him underground, too."

"What's happened?" Sona asked. She rose weakly from her bed, still aching and weak. Kakarot had fallen silent.

"After Kanassa, I could see things," Bardock said. "And Tora said that Frieza was becoming wary of the Saiyans. I keep seeing the destruction of a planet, and to be quite honest, I'm almost one hundred percent sure that it's Vegeta. If we're lucky, we can trick Frieza. He doesn't know about the tunnel system."

"You're coming home, right? You'll go underground too?" Sona asked, walking quickly through the hallways. She knew her husband too well. He was a brilliant man, but he was often brash. She didn't want him to do anything stupid, like try to attack Frieza alone and without a plan. He didn't reply for several seconds. "Bardock," she said, acutely. "You're coming home, right?

"Yes," he said quietly. "Yes, I'm coming back to Vegeta. I'll see you in a few hours." And then there was silence. Sona's feet patted quietly against the cool floor. She found her armor and quickly changed into it, leaving the hospital garb in a pile on the floor. She ran, looking for Planthor. After several minutes of searching, she found him. He was in the room where all the Saiyan babies were held before they were shipped off. Planthor looked up as she entered. He held up a Saiyan baby that was in his arms.

"Say hello to Broly," he said cheerfully. "He's Paragus' son, born the same day as yours. Funny, isn't it?"

"Planthor," Sona said, "You need to evacuate the facility. Get underground. Take anyone that you can. It seems we've run into some trouble with Frieza." Planthor's happy expression faded. Sona didn't wait to explain. There were plenty of other people she had to warn, and she knew exactly where she needed to go; the Tavern.

Sona ran, as quickly as she could. Her insides ached, and her energy was still very low. She held Kakarot as close to her body as possible, trying not to jostle him. He was finally sleeping peacefully, but she knew this probably wouldn't last once they entered the Tavern.

As always, the Tavern was bustling and full of people. There seemed to be more people gathered there than usual, which was extraordinarily fortunate. Sona wasn't sure how many of the Saiyans would listen to her, a low level. She hoped that, if it concerned their survival, they could put aside their pride just this once. She perched atop a table and took a deep breath.

"You need to listen to me, all of you," she said as loudly as possible. All of the conversations ended abruptly, and all eyes were on her. She was met with silence, save for the loud music playing in the background. "My husband was sent to Planet Meat by Frieza. He and his crew were ambushed-"

"Oh, so what?" a voice interrupted, angrily. The owner stepped forward and folded his arms smugly. Paragus. He had been Bardock's enemy from the moment they had laid eyes on each other. Sona had a particular distaste for him as well. "Just because Bardock got his tail whipped doesn't mean we should worry. He's a low level."

"Bardock was ambushed by Dodoria and his men on Frieza's orders," Sona said sharply. "_That_ means that you should worry. Frieza doesn't trust us anymore."

"Maybe he was just cleaning house, doll face," Paragus said, laughing. "Frieza knows a worthless soldier when he sees one. Maybe we should tell him about your son, too. What was little Kakarot's power level again? Two?" Paragus' comments were backed up with laughter from many of the other Saiyans in the Tavern. Sona wished she could kill him. She wasn't in any sort of state for that at the moment. She knew it would be satisfaction enough to have Frieza kill him.

"If you want to live, you'll go underground. The tunnel system from the Tuffle war should still be intact. If we're lucky, Frieza will only attack the surface of Vegeta. If you don't believe me, then you deserve to die with the rest of the trash."

With that, she stepped down from her table top perch, and strode out of the Tavern. She didn't look behind her to see if any Saiyans listened to her advice. She was still too angry at Paragus.

She proceeded towards the Royal Grounds. If there was one Saiyan she had to save, it was King Vegeta. She was halted at the gate by one of the elite guards.

"You're not allowed in here, low level," he addressed her. She held her tongue as she replied.

"I have a message for his Majesty. It's urgent. It's from Frieza," she said. The guard stepped aside. She was glad her fabricated lie had worked. She didn't think that she could use brute force to get into the Grounds.

"His Majesty is in the orchards," the guard called after her. Sona ran into the Grounds. She found the orchard quite quickly, and began looking for King Vegeta. She found him, standing alone, under one of the tallest trees in the orchard. He appeared to be talking to himself, something particularly vexing on his mind.

"Sire," she called, running up to him. He turned sharply to face her. She had never spoken with King Vegeta in person, but all of the physical descriptions of him fell short. He was incredibly muscular, and of a decent height, with stern eyes, and a serious face. He had an aura about him that seemed to demand reverence. "We have to go underground," she said, almost breathless. "I have received intel that Frieza plans to attack Planet Vegeta."

"That's absurd," the King said, proudly. "We've given Frieza no reason to be angry at us. In fact, we've gone above and beyond what he has required of us."

"That's why he wants us destroyed," Sona said. "He's afraid we've gotten too strong. He has just ambushed my husband and his crew."

"I'm supposed to listen to you? You think I'm afraid of Frieza? Naturally, _you_ would be, being a low level. But, my dear girl, I am a proud elite. We are not so easily stirred to fear. And I am certainly not afraid of some phony galactic overlord. If he plans to attack us, then we shall return that sentiment," King Vegeta said, calmly.

"Sire, please," Sona pleaded. "Attacking him now is not our best strategy. We have to wait until we know more about him and then attack when he least expects us to."

"Silence," Vegeta said sharply. "You're forgetting your place, low level."

"Sire, it is for your own good that you come with me underground. You have nothing to lose by just taking precautions. Please," she said, struggling to keep her tone respectful. King Vegeta's stubborn, prideful resistance was wearing her patience thin. She was mere seconds away from grabbing him by the arm and dragging him along with her.

King Vegeta studied her face; his stubborn look began to harden. At length he spoke.

"Fine," he conceded. "But if your counsel was incorrect and puts us at a disadvantage, you will regret it, low level."He walked quickly to the edge of the orchard, counting his steps. He reached a large boulder, rolled it aside, and revealed a large hole in the ground. Wordlessly, he jumped down the hole. Sona followed, holding Kakarot firmly in her arms.

Her feet touched soft soil. A smell she had long forgotten began to fill her nostrils. The Underground hadn't been used since the Tuffle War, but everything was still the same. She followed King Vegeta down their narrow tunnel.

Soon, their tunnel opened up into a big cavern. There were several other Saiyans already gathered underground, most of them being third classers, sitting outside tents. Hardly any of them paid King Vegeta any attention as he strode proudly to his large tent in the back. Sona looked around for her former tent. After several seconds of looking at similar tents, she found hers. It was nestled in a secluded corner. The black ribbon was still tied to the outside. Sona smiled slightly and walked inside. She sat on her old bed, rocking Kakarot gently back and forth, waiting.


	13. The Revolution Begins

Bardock's pod door hissed slowly open. He stood, wincing. He walked as quickly as he could to the nearest tunnel. His head felt fuzzy and his vision was blurred. He shook it off, continuing his course. Frieza had surely seen his pod leaving Kanassa and would arrive at Vegeta soon. When he reached the large tell-tale hole in the ground, he crouched and lowered himself down. He fell quickly, landing before much time had passed. He followed the narrow tunnel, dragging his feet, and running his fingers along the dirt wall. He felt a rush of stale air and walked into the main cavern. There were several other Saiyans down here. There weren't as many as Bardock had hoped for, but at this point it didn't really matter. As long as some had come, it would be enough. He looked around for Sona, but couldn't find her. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, his eyes resting upon Sona's worried face. She embraced him gently.

"Thank Kai you're still alive," she whispered. She released him and studied his face.

"Barely," he laughed weakly.

"My father left medical supplies in our tent. Come on, I'll see what I can do," she said, taking his hand. He followed her to the edge of the cavern. They entered a little blue tent. Bardock looked around. It looked like things hadn't been touched in a while. He sat on one of the beds.

"I'm afraid all I have are some bandages and something for the pain," she whispered walking back to his side. Bardock shrugged. She held out her hand. There was a small, clear ball in her palm, about the size of a pea. He took it and chewed. It was tasteless, but worked quickly. The feeling returned to Bardock's head and his vision became sharper. Sona was wordlessly cleaning the blood off his face and arms. She took off his ruined armor and bandaged him tightly. Most of Bardock's pain had subsided. He laid down on his back, putting his hands behind his head. Sona lay beside him, gently resting her hand on his bandaged chest. There was nothing they could do now, except wait. Everything was peacefully still.

Bardock lost track of time, relishing in the peace. The calm was interrupted by a loud rumbling noise. Everything was shaking. He could hear the surprised cries of some of the Saiyans outside. Their surprise was nothing compared to what the Saiyans on the surface were feeling. For a moment, his mind flew to Raditz. He hadn't the slightest idea where his son was, but prayed that he was safe.

This was the only time Bardock had ever hated being right, but it seemed his visions were accurate. After several minutes, the rumbling and shaking had subsided. There was nothing but an eerie still. It was done. Kakarot was crying softly, and Sona was rocking him back and forth. She looked to Bardock.

"Now what?" she asked him, softly. Bardock sighed. He hadn't thought they would make it this far. There was really only one thing for them to do. It was something Bardock had longed to do for the past seven years.

"Now we train. All of us. We're going to take down Frieza."

* * *

**A\N:** Aaaand that's the end of part one. This turned out a little more "romance-y" than I wanted it to, and I apologize.. :)The sequels (which will probably be shorter) will most definently have less flame. I _really_ enjoyed writing this story, however (huzzah for first DBZ fics)! The second part is titled 'Fears of a Tyrant' and is mostly in Frieza & Verspa's POV. It will be updated less frequently, because this was mostly finished when I started posting.. so yeah. Thank you to all my readers\subscribers\reviewers you kept me going :)


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